National initiative launched for a community to win Nigel Dunnett's RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden

Nigel Dunnett has appeared on BBC One's The One Show to launch a national initiative for communities in the UK to win the garden he is designing for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The scheme will see the plants and other elements of his RHS Greening Grey Britain Garden, live on in a public space to be loved and enjoyed by a local community. The initiative is part of the RHS’ Greening Grey Britain Campaign to turn grey, unloved spaces into green, planted up places, for the nation’s health, happiness and for the environment and wildlife.

The RHS is calling on community groups across the UK to enter for the chance to transform a plot of up to 250 metres that can be accessed by the public. Schools, hospitals, hospices, gardening groups, allotments, medical centres and resident groups can all apply.

The judges, who alongside Nigel are, One Show Presenter Christine Walkden and RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter, will be looking for imagination and zest for making a difference by planting up a garden, with plenty of benefit for residents, the general environment and local wildlife.

Guy said: “We want to see how this garden will bring people together to build and maintain a fabulous planting for the benefit of all. We would like maximum inclusivity so submissions should show how they will involve as many people as possible.

“If you live in an urban neighbourhood, a community group might want to turn an area of closely mown grass into a garden that will provide more resources for wildlife. Or Parents may come together to make an area of a school’s grounds into a garden – there are numerous opportunities.”

Nigel added: “Gardens, nature, plants and horticulture have never been needed more in our towns and cities to meet the overwhelming challenges of climate-change and increasing urbanization. Indeed, garden spaces are no longer a decorative ‘nice-to-have’, but are a core and essential element in the toolkit to create healthy cities and livable places.

“The RHS Greening Grey Britain Garden demonstrates and celebrates the multiple benefits of plants and gardens in even the smallest of areas. It’s fantastic that this Garden will live on after RHS Chelsea to benefit a community. We want to help make the winning plot an important and appreciated part of the local environment.”